It's great that you are keeping her up! What would be advantageous would be to learn how to do all those items owners are permitted to do. If you were to do an oil change yourself it would cost less than $50.00 even if you had to replace the filter. No rocket science at all but the trick is to find someone who can pass along the knowledge.
Al DeMarzo Visit the Ercoupe Swap Page Free, Easy and No Membership Required http://www.ercoupeowners.com/swap/swapbook.htm ----- From: Garrard Olinger To: 'Caliendo Dan' ; 'Al Demarzo' Cc: [email protected] Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 9:37 AM Subject: RE: [ercoupe-tech] Re Annual inspection Good morning, Aircraft based in KFDK, Frederick, Maryland. Annual has been around $1,000 to $1,300 with few replacement parts for the past four annuals (no reduction due to the learning curve). I pay about $250 for an oil change. They are "trained" in coupes and may be closer to you than others. Usually runs a day or two for my plane. I have longed for the $500-$800 annual and don't think it exists anymore in our area (mid-Atlantic). Anytime I have the coupe in the shop there is a " learning curve" as few of the current maint. folks are familiar with vintage aircraft and there is always someone new (even when the main shop people are still around). Usually I know at least as much about the annual or repair as they do; but likely get in the way if I assist (grew up working on aircraft with my father who was an IA). So I try not to assist and let them do their job. Sometimes I am unsure of how much attention is paid to the coupe because of its age and lack of "manuals". I continue to look for an "old timers" that can help with repairs but few exist. Remind you, this is not primarily a cost issue, but about getting it done right, quickly and keeping me safe. In the end this hobby is expensive and the maint. folks do have a tough job. We pay the shop rates at car dealerships which are equal and sometimes higher than aircraft maint. That aside, as an industry, there appears to be real lack of responsiveness, care and customer support in aviation. The industry appears to be fighting with the same issues it has for >20 years, slow supply chains, limited cost reductions, low, low customer focus and the list goes on. On the positive side, there is a real opportunity for the right approach that solves these issues, especially on a national level. For example lower annual and oil change fees! The fact that you ended up with a $4,300 and long term annual is just another example of the inability of our (both us and the service providers) to effectively communicate. We both need each other but somehow don't negotiate our respective needs well. On our end, there is little recourse but to take it somewhere else and hope for better next time. This is always risky and why I have not "tried" a new maint group in the last three years. In the end, I think you current shop is telling you directly or indirectly to go somewhere else. If they wanted your business they would be more responsive and "work with you" on their learning curve. Sorry for the rant, but a timely and reoccurring issue that grinds me! Also still looking for a part-time or retired mechanic that is passionate about aircraft to help with my coupe. Will let everyone know .after he or she fixes my coupe! Gene N3439H ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 10:14 PM Subject: [ercoupe-tech] Re Annual inspection Hi Coupers, I base my coupe in the Teterboro NJ area. I am looking for a nearby mechanic experienced on Ercoupes to do an annual inspection on my plane. As I previously mentioned the fixed base operator here at my airport do not care to work on an Ercoupes. (O.K. he fired me) "He feels that they are not familiar with the plane" That's a quote. I personally think they're after the big money stuff. They did my last annual and it took 17 days in their shop and about $4.000 of labor time and about $300 + for parts and oil change. Believe me when I say that this what I was told, "You're paying us for the learning curve" That's a quote too. And it was continually put aside for the Big Dollar Birds. As mentioned. Now I'm looking. Thank you, Prof. Ed ************** Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and favorite sites in one place. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)
